Journal

It’s been a long winter, no denying that. I was washed off on opening day, and haven’t had a chance to fish since. However, the days are drawing out, the weather is improving and the environment is finally showing signs of spring.

With this slight improvement in conditions, I managed to grab a short session with a pal and I finally opened my 2018 season. Here’s how that day panned out.

Bridge hopping is a valuable activity for a number of reasons. It feeds the imagination, for places you have never fished. You might even spot a fish or two, if you’re really lucky. In our case, it helped us to establish conditions as we moved upstream higher into the catchment. Third bridge lucky, we found some water that we figured might give us half a chance.

So, without laying down an over indulgent fishing story for you all, here are some pictures from the session.

Bridges make great opportunities for both fishing and observing.

In the high water conditions we were faced with, the fish were most likely holding in slack water and current seams.

Side streams and tributaries are worth pursuing in high conditions. Fish of all sizes will seek refuge in these areas.

Tense moments as the first of 2018 slips over the net.

No monster, but finding the smaller fish is proof of successful spawning and multiple year classes.

So there we go, the first of 2018 in the bag! It's great to be back on the rivers, and I hope you're all fitting in some sessions when conditions allow.

Theres no hiding the fact that I’ve basically disappeared off of the blogging scene recently. My Instagram slowed up, I didn’t write for any magazines, I didn’t even write on here… Weird, right? I can’t deny it’s hard to keep the material flowing. Trying to find inspiration for trips, photo shoots and articles is difficult. I have full respect for anyone who does it full time. I was also a little tired of the promotional side of things, always trying to chase likes and produce popular content, I decided to step back a little and enjoy things for myself.

But here I am, feeling refreshed and inspired again. So what the hell have I been doing? Well I’ve been working on my friends farms, which has been so interesting. I did a chainsaw license, which was both fun and useful, and of course, there always has to be something fish related.

What's not to love about this?

I have started an internship with Westcountry Rivers Trust. More specifically, I have been taken on to conduct electrofishing surveys with their staff. It’s been really great to get into fisheries science, It’s something I’ve always wanted to do and getting onto this internship has been a solid breakthrough for me. Don’t get me wrong, I love to fish, but the whole reason I started fishing when I was about eleven years old was to study fish and get a closer look at them! I’ve only just started, but the new role has taken me to some great locations and I’ve seen some amazing fish.

Trust me, science is cool

Getting to study fish like this 5lb+ Sea Run Brown Trout? Amazing.

So there isn’t a huge amount to report back on for now, but I’m hoping to bring you some more content soon..!

Well, that crept up on me… the season has started already! Super stoked, really excited, just need some good weather to go with it. Never mind, the sun will be out soon bringing long evenings and big hatches. I feel like my feet haven’t touched the ground since I was last writing here, but you don’t need my life story, so I’ll pick two events. The London Fly Fair and opening day.

Starting with London. I can’t deny it, I’m a country boy. The thought of living in London is pretty terrible to me, but then most people wouldn’t want to live in a pair of waders and smell like fish all day… Anyway, I do quite enjoy visiting, and considering my brother lives there I had a pretty solid weekend lined up. It’s the first year for The London Fly Fishing Fair, and what a debut it was! Seriously cool stands, coupled with a great layout and venue made for a fantastic atmosphere.

A fantastic venue.

The pool was getting shredded by some amazing casting from the likes of Charles Jardine and Hywel Morgan, who gave brilliant casting demos with their usual charisma and infectious passion for the sport.

Enthusiastic and exciting demos ran all day.

Even found myself some new fishing buddies!

There were some seriously cool stands from big name tackle companies, destination fishing groups, photographers and even conservation initiatives. A great balance showcasing all aspects of the fly fishing industry. I can’t wait for next year!

Then a few days with my brother and catching up with Uni friends, which is always a pleasure. Six nations rugby, beers, good food and daytime activities. Cheers all!

The Trout Bum and the City Slicker!

Back to the countryside! The 25th of March is a big date in our diaries… The Brown Trout season opens! I had the pleasure of being invited to the Fox and Hounds hotel by Pete Tyjas for his opening day bash. It was a great day, and its always exciting to fish a new river. The weather was stunning for the 15th of March! We had more laughs than fish, a fantastic lunch and a pint to finish the day off. What more could you want?

A 'relaxed' start to the season...

Pete Tyjas chalks up the first hits of 2017!

I actually wrote this piece a few days ago, and never got round to making it live. Since then the weather has turned and we are seeing a typical March. Chocolate rivers and slippery banks, never mind, hopefully you’re getting amongst the fish wherever you are!